WINSTON SALEM, N.C. - The CIU Men's Track and Field team headed up to North Carolina to compete in the Mondo College Invitational in their first meet of 2024. The squad competed against schools of all divisions, including NCAA Division I & II, NAIA, and NCCAA. Reigning NCCAA national champion Dario Laing continues his success as a sophomore with a first-place finish and NAIA qualification.
Laing recorded his first podium finish of the season with a first-place finish with a time of 8.16 (NAIA*, AAC*, NCCAA*) in the 60m hurdles. Denim Jones competed in the 60m qualifying race with a time of 7.67, and Joey Canning finished the 3000m race at 10:03.93.
Malik Beaver (1:31.12) and Spencer Evans (1:32.48) recorded top 20 finishes in the 600m. Laing finished 6th place in the 400m with a time of 52.53 (AAC, NCCAA). Kevin Cunningham (55.78) and Julian Carranza (56.67) also completed the same event. Evans and Beaver also finished in the top 15 of the 1000m race, with times of 2:57.77 and 2:59.13, respectively.
Clayton Hammond recorded a top-ten finish in the 400m seeded race with a time of 53.27 (AAC). Spencer Evans and Beaver represented the Rams in the 1000m race with times of 2:57.77 and 2:59.13. Hammond (23.68, AAC) collected a top 20 finish in the 200m, with Cunningham (24.72), Jones (25.26), and Carranza (25.33) finishing shortly after.
Joey Canning posted a time of 5:00.18 in the 1-mile run and a 10:03.93 time in the 3000m race. Jones, Cunningham, Hammond, and Hunter McCaskill finished at 3:49.00 in the 4x400-meter relay.
In the field, Cameron Montgomery secured a top-15 finish in the shot put with a distance of 12.72m (AAC, NCCAA). Bryce Scarborough and Colton Buchanan recorded distances of 11.12m (NCCAA) and 10.64m (NCCAA), respectively.
McCaskill and Branson Rimmer competed in the pole vault with heights of 3.85m (AAC, NCCAA) and 3.70m (AAC). Montgomery placed 6th in the weight throw with 13.68m (AAC, NCCAA), while Scarborough placed 8th with 13.35m (AAC, NCCAA). Buchanan competed as well with a distance of 9.90m.
What CIU Director of Track & Field Tim Thompson says: "It's Track season, baby! Today was a good day. Many athletes had lifetime-best performances in the season opener. Our newcomers and freshmen showed maturity and poise today. We added a few more qualifiers to the AAC, NCCAA, and NAIA championship meets. Dario Laing & Emma Johnson made their mark on the track with NAIA qualifying performances in the 60m hurdles. We are excited about what this season holds! Our program is prepared and embracing the journey."
Up Next: The Rams compete in the Carolina Challenge next weekend, Jan. 19-20, hosted by the University of South Carolina.
*Readers guide:
NAIA: National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (Indoor Track & Field Championships / Feb. 29 - Mar. 2)
NCCAA: National Christian College Athletic Association (Indoor Track & Field Championships / Feb. 9 - Feb. 10)
AAC: Appalachian Athletic Conference (Indoor Track & Field Championships / Feb 15 - Feb. 16)
